Growing popularity of young people working in aquatics defies national youth unemployment trends

The Institute of Swimming is bucking national trends, with a marked increase in its workforce of young people. In fact in 2024 they saw an seven per cent increase in the number of swimming teachers aged 16-24 year old.

 

Rebecca Cox, Managing Director of the IoS, says: “We understand young people want to work in secure environments, where they feel respected. They want flexibility, they want high salaries and they want responsibility.  Plus young people are interested in wellbeing.  Working in aquatics offers it all.”

 

Whether as a lifeguard or a swimming teacher, working in aquatics has long been a popular choice for young people. In fact, in 2023 67% of the Institute of Swimming’s newly qualified swimming teachers and assistant swimming teachers were under the age of 25, and two-thirds of respondents to the Royal Life Saving Society UK’s (RLSS UK) 2023 Lifeguard Survey were enrolled in full or part-time education.

This comes as no surprise given the average hourly wage across England for a fully qualified swimming teacher is £16.52 and £11.20* for lifeguards. You can train to become a swimming teacher or a lifeguard from the age of just 16.

 

Jo Talbot, Interim CEO at RLSS UK says: “Our Level 3 National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) is now registered with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), making the internationally recognised lifeguard course even more appealing to young people planning to go into further or higher education. It is worth eight UCAS Tariff points, meaning students who complete the NPLQ can include it in their UCAS application.

 

“We also know that working as a lifeguard gives young people life skills; not just how to save someone’s life. 93% of lifeguards told us that working as a lifeguard enhanced their communication skills and 89% said they increased their self-confidence. Lifeguarding has the ability to develop a young person for the future.”

 

With around half a million children in England missing out on learning to swim due to national staff shortages in the sector, the Institute of Swimming (IoS), the largest training provider of Swim England qualifications, and the RLSS UK are actively encouraging even more young people to get qualified to boost youth participation in aquatics further.

 

Cox says: “Contrary to what some may think, you don’t need to come from a competitive or elite swimming background to pursue these roles. With full training available for both positions, the industry offers secure work environments, flexible hours, no late-night shifts and employment opportunities locally and away at university during term times. Moreover, young people can use these internationally recognised qualifications to work abroad during gap years and the long summer holidays. Qualified swimming teachers and lifeguards are always in high demand, providing well-paid and rewarding job opportunities.

 

“The IoS and RLSS are looking for young people who are good communicators, who value teamwork and are passionate about these life-saving skills. With 96% of UK swimming teachers saying they love their job and 84% of lifeguards rating their experience as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, these roles not only offer satisfaction but also help develop key skills such as communication, collaboration and confidence. Working in aquatics is very rewarding, and swimming is all about wellbeing. Many young people also enjoy the social side of working in aquatics, as it’s a great opportunity to meet other like-minded people and make new friends outside of school life.”

 

One parent, whose 16-year-old daughter works as an Assistant Swimming Teacher, said: “Having a teenager can be a worrying stage for any parent, but working at her local swimming pool has given my daughter purpose, confidence and autonomy, which I hope she can take through to adult life; she takes her responsibilities very seriously.

 

“While she’s studying for her GCSEs it’s important the job works around her school life, and teaching swimming fits perfectly. The hours are during the day, at the weekends or after school, and it’s well paid in comparison to other jobs available to teenagers. I’d much prefer her to be at a leisure centre than working in a bar or shop. It’s also excellent for her UCAS applications and CV, as many of the skills she has learnt through delivering lessons are transferable.

 

“After her GCSE exams, she also plans to get her lifeguarding and her Level Two Swimming Teacher qualifications, as she wants to continue to work at the pool during her A-levels and become a part-time swimming teacher when she’s at university.”

 

Marie-Eve is currently in her second year of a physics degree at the University of Loughborough. After qualifying as an RLSS UK pool lifeguard in 2021, she is lifeguarding to support her studies. She says: “Lifeguarding is an important role, and the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) is a really valuable qualification. Once you’ve got it, it’s easy to pick up shifts. Everywhere is looking for lifeguards and as soon as people know you’re qualified it’s not hard to find work. If you stay on top of your training, you can dip in and out of lifeguarding jobs whenever it suits you. The pay is fantastic, especially for a student – I’ve never earned less than £15 per hour, which is a lot more than I could get in other part-time jobs. I’d recommend it as a way to earn money while at university.”